When Jan Robinson's husband died suddenly and unexpectedly, she had the idea of asking any other widows, whenever and wherever she met them, for two tips about how to deal with widowhood - anything that came to mind, whether it was what to do or what not to do, however seemingly unimportant. The first two tips were: firstly, no matter how low you are feeling, get out and about as much as possible; and secondly, unless it is financially unavoidable, do not sell your home in the first year of widowhood, because you will almost certainly regret it. Two dozen widows and six months later, Jan Robinson realised that she had the makings of a book. Thus this pocket-sized manual, which consists of a series of tips, anecdotes and practical advice from women who have lived through the loss of a husband. Tips from Widows is warmly recommended by Joanna Lumley. "This is a wonderful, beautiful book," she writes in her foreword. "It is a quiet, wise friend, full of comfort and practical counsel when your world has collapsed or changed beyond recognition."